Same Old Song and Magic Dance
by AcaciaDawn105
Summary: Yeah, I know there's already a crap ton of a new girl after Sarah. But, most of them have some kind of connection to her, Caci doesn't. She's totally normal, and just happens to say the wrong thing after she gets her heart broken. So, what happens when The Goblin King finds an unwilling addition to his kingdom? And how many times will she end up freaking out? Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

_**Same Old Song and Magic Dance**_

 _ **Chapter One~ Fairytales Are Shit**_

 _ **30 Years Later**_

How was it possible to feel so much anger towards someone whom you loved so much? So much hatred? The moment she had gotten to work that morning and the rain had started, lightning flashing, she knew that something was wrong. Her stomach had clenched as soon as her feet had carried her out the apartment door. Claiming sickness, she had left her meager waitressing job two hours early and trudged home through the pouring rain. Lightning zipped through the air, the crack of thunder fast behind it, leaving the smell of ozone permitting the atmosphere. Everything about the day was bad, she could feel it in her bones. It didn't get any better when a bird swooped past her right next to her head. Raising her face to the stinging rain, she caught sight of it once more and watched it swirl up towards the clouds, fighting against the blistering wind that tried to blow it back to the ground. The bird, she could tell now it was an owl, seemed to just be going in circles. Of course that may have had something to do with the near maelstrom it was flying into. A sudden gust of wind nearly blew her over, making her grasp at a street sign beside her. Above her head, she heard a screech. The owl had been hit by the same gust, yet had righted itself almost as soon. Turning her face away from the sight, she hurried on home.

And now, Acacia stood in the middle of the bedroom, staring down at the man she had loved with all her heart for nearly four years, laying in bed trying to cover his naked form as a woman she had never met before began gathering up her clothes. Everything in her was telling her to beat the shit out of both of them, but she could do nothing more than stand there. Derek was slipping on his underwear. "Baby, please, you have to believe me-"

"Believe what? That you didn't mean it? That it just happened?" She said calmly, her voice completely even. Never giving away at the roiling storm inside her that perfectly mirrored the one outside. "Don't play me for a fool, Derek. I thought you were better than that. I thought you were different." She didn't yell, she didn't scream or cuss or threaten either of them. Her icy calm actually frightened the two more than if she had.

The red-headed woman watched from the corner of the room as Acacia began solemnly putting clothes in a suitcase. She hadn't known about her, and she tried to speak up, to claim innocence. But the look the drenched brunette gave her froze the words in her throat. She looked dead almost, the only emotion in her teary eyes being sadness. Could she really claim to been completely oblivious of her existence? Had she truly not known that Derek was infidelious? Acacia knew it wasn't the other woman's fault. She hadn't known. So, why did she blame her? It was all _his_ fault. She ignored his words as she continued to gather up her few belongings. The rushing in her ears drowned out all other noise, save for her own heartbeat. She knew he was speaking, knew generally what he was saying. But she couldn't hear it. At least, not until she felt his warm hand on her arm, trying to spin her around.

In one smooth movement, her fist came around and backhanded him across the cheek. Then it all came flooding back. The storm outside, the screaming of the woman in the corner, the _slap_ of Derek's skin meeting the tile floor. Acacia staggered backwards, gasping. Her knuckles burned where they had met his face. With a choked sob, she grabbed the handle of her rolling case and duffle bag, then turned to the door. "I wish you well, Derek. I'm sorry I wasn't enough for you." To the other woman, she said, "Once a cheater, always a cheater. Remember that before you consider continuing your relationship with him." The woman nodded, as if she really was thinking about it.

)0(

It hadn't taken long for Acacia to find a place. The area she lived in was spattered with hotels. The hotel she found was nice enough, with thicker walls, windows that actually opened, and a large bathtub that she sat in for nearly an hour, just sitting. Once the water was cold, she let it drain out. It was still raining while she sat on the bed in her pjs, staring at the TV while not really watching what was on the screen. Tears made tracks down her face, turning her usually even skin red and blotchy from constantly rubbing them away. After a while, she jolted up from the bed and went over to where her bag sat in the chair. The window opened easily enough; hot, sticky storm wind blowing her hair back as she breathed in the smell of lighting and we vegetation. Every once in a while, it would blow just right and raindrops would hit her. Making sure her door was securely locked, Acacia sat down next to the window and lit the freshly rolled joint.

That first lungful of smoke was heaven. It had been way too long since she last smoked. Derek had not exactly been all that approving of it. But, _fuck_ him. He wasn't important anymore, it didn't matter what he approved of. A few hits in and she started coughing. That's how she knew that she was getting to the finish line. Then the haze started. Suddenly, the rain was no longer individual _pat pat pat_ of rain. Now, it was just a dulled roar that slipped into her soul and wrapped her up in comfortable white noise. Her eyes strayed outside. Lightning cracked across the sky, making her jump when it illuminated the courtyard below her, and the tree beside her window. In the branches sat a large barn owl. It wasn't all that uncommon, there were owls all over the place. But something about this particular one was a bit strange. Without thinking, Acacia stood and reached her hand out to it. The owl didn't move except to tilt it's head at her.

She giggled. "Such a funny bird, aren't you? What are you doing out in the rain?" Leaning over the railing, she felt the tip of her fingers connecting with the feathers on it's chest. They were so soft. Her arm was getting wet from the water coming off the roof, but she didn't care. "Did you get kicked out of your home, too?" The feathers beneath her fingers ruffled as the bird shook it's head and fluffed itself up. "Mmh, maybe not. But, it's no fun. I wouldn't wish it on anyone." Her other hand came up to cup her chin as she cooed to the owl. "I don't know what I did, friend. I thought we were great together. Think you can help me? Owls are supposed to be wise, right?" The owl twittered at her and nipped at her fingers where they were stroking it's head. "Yeah, I guess you're right. No point in bothering with it. I just wish I knew why it keeps happening. I seriously thought Derek was different." She sighed. "Are you different, pretty bird? Would you stay with me if you were human or I was an owl?" It hooted, stretching out it's wings and flapping away back into the storm. "Guess not."

Once she was sure the room was adequately aired out, she closed the window and went to lay down on the bed. Acacia turned the TV off, then hit the switch on the lamp beside her. As she sat there, waiting for sleep to take her, her mind began to wander. Down dirt roads it went, through stone walls that rose to the sky. Miniscule creatures passed in her vision, chattering as they went. In the distance, the spires of a castle rose over the edges of the maze's wall. On the wind music reached her ears in her haze and she smiled.

"I almost wish the goblins w _ould_ come and take me away right now."

)0(

 _ **A/N: So, here's the start. Next part coming up soon, just needed to get the first one up before I went ahead and took two weeks to write this and not move on.**_ _ **Let's Dance, Real Boy, Leap of Faith, and The Secretary**_ _ **all have new chapters coming along too, so I'm a tad overworked atm. I'm only really able to write in the evenings when my two year old goes to bed. Also, I just had my birthday this week, so I won't write much over the weekend because I'm going to be so busy. Love you all, drop me a review and make my day :D**_

 _ **AcaciaDawn105**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two~ Your Wish, My Command**_

 _ **AN: Warning, there's some dark stuff in this story starting now. The goblins in this are far more than just mischievous little children turned monsters. Beware, you've been warned.**_

 _Jareth POV_

It was said as sort of an off-hand comment. But the magic was still in the words. He felt the tingle of it in his heart (or what was left of it anyway), pulling him back the way he had just come. The girl he had just visited, the one who had smoked the mind-altering herb that left a thick scent in his nostrils and talked to him as if she knew he was something other than an owl. She had spoken the words, the ones that he had not thought she would say. He knew the goblins would already be in her room, and if he did not hurry back, who knew what kind of mayhem they would bring upon the poor girl.

)0(

 _Acacia POV_

It couldn't have been more than a few minutes since she'd fallen asleep, but something had forced Acacia to open her eyes. Sitting up in the bed, she realized that the cover had stuck to her sweat-covered skin. Was it a nightmare? A crazy dream? All too often, one or the other would wake her up in a cold sweat and her not be able to remember much except for a few blurry details. Never mind that her head was still buzzing from the weed. Looking around her dark room, the shadows seemed to jump out at her, and the sound of cackling met her ears. Acacia's eyes widened. Surely this had to be a high-induced mirage! In her chest, her heart seemed to be trying to beat out a samba on her ribcage. The frightened woman squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"It's not real. It's not real." She repeated to herself, a mantra she had come up with in her youth when the darkness would begin creeping towards her in the middle of the night, or a nightmare would jolt her from sleep. But, instead of calming her, the sounds surrounding her seemed to get louder, as if whatever hid in the shadows thought it funny that she was trying to imagine them away. Her words got louder as she rocked back and forth with her hands over her head. All at once, the laughter stopped. The sudden silence was almost as eerie as the sound. Opening her eyes, she looked around, finding nothing. "I need to stop smoking right before bed," she mused to herself, wiping the sweat from her face.

Before she could pull the covers over her head and go back to sleep, something jumped from the shadows in the corner by the TV, forcing her back onto the bed. A scream worked it's way out of her as the thing sat on her chest. Then more followed. There were at least twenty of them, tiny, grotesque creatures that seemed warped and dirty in the dark of the room. Her arms were pulled to the sides, and her legs held down when she tried to kick her way out of their grip. The laughter returned ten-fold, drowning out the noise of the storm outside. Acacia screamed again, and this time, the one on her chest stuffed a nasty tasting rag into her mouth.

"Quiet, pretty." She nearly gagged as her sense of smell was assaulted by the thing's rancid breath. Her eyes went wild, darting back and forth trying to find a way to get out of this situation. But, the more she struggled, the harder they held her. She could feel her bones grinding, her skin bruising. Suddenly, she had a thought. _I might die._ And that single, lone thought was enough to throw her body into overdrive. Lifting her bottom off the bed, Acacia bucked, throwing off several of the creatures that held her legs and hips. Once they were free, she hauled her legs up and around the neck of the one on her chest, and twisted to toss him into the ones on her left. They released her arm, and she grabbed her backpack, using it to punch the ones on her other side. Spitting out the gag, Acacia managed to get herself completely free from whatever they were, and jumped towards the door.

She never even touched it. Something kept her from being able to go within a foot of the handle without hitting an invisible wall that shocked her when she smacked hard against it. Her frantic scrambling gave the midgets time to gather themselves and start coming for her again. Acacia pressed herself against the invisible barrier, now no longer electric, trying her hardest to keep them from coming near her. Behind them, the window swung open with a _bang!_ And she screamed again as something flew in. Of course, she couldn't believe her eyes when she watched the owl she had been talking to just a little while ago transformed right in front of her. In it's place stood a tall figure, cloak billowing in the wind and glitter flying everywhere. The man didn't say anything at first. From what she could see of his face when lightning made the room glow, it looked like he was smiling. The goblins (for that was the only word she could come up with to fit their description) seemed even more riled up with the man's presence. They screeched and jumped around her, pulling at her sleep pants, her t-shirt, her hair, all the while the man at the window didn't say a word. He just stood with his hands on his hips, head tilted at the sight before him.

One of the goblins, a larger one wearing a pointed helmet, had snuck under her arm and managed to grab hold of her breast, causing her to cry out in pain and fear. It's sharp little fingers dug into the exposed skin higher up on her chest, and tightly squeezing her tender flesh. Tears leaked down her face, and she pulled the knife she kept in the side pocket of her bag out of it's sheath to slash at them. The sound of her pain and attempted murder of the goblins spurred the man into action. In less than a second, he was across the room, taking hold of the goblins two at a time and throwing them at the wall. The one groping her was torn away with a squeal, and Acacia curled in on herself nursing the cut on her chest that was now oozing blood and her free hand still held out in front of her.

"Are you alright, precious?" The man asked in a deep, velvety voice.

The woman froze at the sound. Slowly, she turned. Now, she could see him much better, and the sight did nothing to quell her fear. The man seemed larger than life, big hair that was longer in random places, and a particular shine to his aura that made her reel back. "Am I alright? Am I _alright_?!" She hissed, forcing herself to stand up. It was hard to do, between with the lingering jelly effects of the drug, the tingle at her back from the wall, and the forcefulness with which she had been handled. "You send your minions in here to scare me, while you just stand there and let them manhandle me, and you're asking me if I'm _alright?!_ "

"Well, I'll admit, they were a bit overzealous, but-"

"A _bit?!_ These little motherfuckers were holding me hard enough to leave bruises! _That_ one, " she pointed her knife at the goblin in the helmet, "fucking tore up my chest." Without even really meaning to, she pulled down the collar of her shirt to show the bleeding scratches. The shiny man's eyes flitted from her face, to her chest, and seemed to harden. "So, no, I'm not alright, you fucking creep." He was surprised when she got up in his face with her words.

A smile broke across his face, exposing sharp teeth and making her gasp. "My apologies, my dear. It was not my intention for them to scare you. I only meant for them to help me in taking you away."

"Away?" She blinked. "What do you mean away? Where am I going? Who the hell even are you?!"

"Why, to the Goblin Kingdom. And I am Jareth, the Goblin King, of course." The way he said it, so nonchalantly, made her shiver.

Shaking her head, Acacia closed her eyes and started muttering to herself again. "It's not real. This isn't real."

"Very real, I'm afraid, dear." Her eyes shot open, gasping when she found him much closer than she remembered him being. Her automatic response was to press the blade against his gut, though it didn't seem to really phase him. "Come now, no need to be frightened. You asked for this, didn't you?"

"Did I?" Her eyebrows scrunched together. "I _really_ need to stop smoking before bed." She told herself.

"This is no hallucination, my dear. Nor is it a dream."

"That's not possible. This has to be a dream. People don't just get attacked by goblins and then spirited away to some magical, mythical kingdom."

"Of course they do. Usually, though, no one remembers them afterwards. And those that do, everyone thinks they are insane. Now, precious," he held out a hand, "it's time to go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" She batted his hand away. "I didn't ask to be taken anywhere."

"Did you or did you not say the words ' _I wish the goblins would come take me away_ '? I would not be here if you hadn't."

"No, I said that I _almost_ wish they would. I've had a bad day, and I'm high. But, I am _not_ going anywhere!" Breaking past him, she made her way into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Backing against the opposite wall, she realized that she still had her backpack, so she slipped her arms through the straps. Beyond the door, she could hear the goblins hooting and hollering. "How is no one hearing this?" She whispered to herself.

"Because, my dear," came the Jareth's voice, "I've magicked the room. No one is coming to look for you. Why, they've already forgotten you. Even that despicable human you called a partner. Now, how about we do this the easy way and you come out, hm? Come now, precious."

"GO AWAY!" She screamed through the door as she climbed into the bathtub, knife brandished out in front of her like a sword. "Go away! I don't want to go!" Pounding began rattling the wood, and she cowered into a ball.

"STOP!" Jareth voice startled her, and the sounds of fists on the door halted. "If she screams one more time, you shall all be bogged!" For some reason, the threat seemed to carry a heavy promise of following through. Maybe it was just the seriousness with which he spoke, or maybe it was the hush that fell over the horrid goblins out there. "My dear, sweet Acacia, you needn't fear. I shall not harm you. Please, come out."

 _How the fuck does he know my name?_ Acacia gulped, as her throat seemed to be dry as a bone. "You are _not_ taking me anywhere."

"On the contrary," her eyes shot up as he materialized through the door, "I can. And I will. You see, what's said is said, and words have power. Therefore, I _must_ take you. Now, now, there's no need to cry, love." Acacia flinched when his gloved knuckle grazed her cheek, wiping away a tear that had begun to fall. "Such a lovely girl such as yourself should not be sad. It is a crime for such beauty to weep. Look," before her eyes, he produced a crystal ball from the air. Juggling it over his fingers, he lowered it. "A normal crystal ball, much like the one you had once upon a time. But, turn it this way," She couldn't look away from the dancing globe. It was hypnotizing. "or that, and you can see anything your heart desires."

The crystal danced in her vision, the images within it sucking her in. Promises of riches beyond measure; of a home; of love. Such pretty things she saw in those abyssal depths. They drew her further and further away from herself until she had drifted far, far away from herself.

"Shh, sweet girl. Sleep now, and it will all be better soon." Jared grinned as he watched her eyelids droop, and her body relax down into the tub. The large knife she held clattered against the porcelain. "That's it, love." Gently, he passed a hand over her face to move a few locks of hair out of the way. It seemed as if she weighed no more than a feather (even with her pack on) when he reached down and very easily picked her up. "Off we go, you lot!" He yelled at the goblins, who immediately disappeared. Then, looking down at the sleeping woman in his arms, he muttered, "We must get everything ready."

)0(

The first thing Acacia was aware of when consciousness began seeping back to her was the fact that she was laying down. And it was uncomfortable as all hell because she still had her backpack on, too. With a groan, she sat up, head spinning, and tried to swallow down the nausea that was trying to force it's way up her throat. Breathing shakily, it was a bit hard for her to make the world around her stop spinning and make sense of where she was. The ground under her was hard and dusty. Staring at the odd orangish sand, Acacia's mind couldn't quite wrap around the fact that she wasn't in her bed in the hotel room.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" A gasp escaped her as she spun on her ass to look behind her. The movement of going to her knees caused her head to swim and she swayed. "Yes, I thought so. Unfortunately, sleep spells _do_ tend to have a lasting effect on humans. It should wear off soon enough, love."

"I-I'm not your 'love', asshole." She said, forcing herself to stand. Using a tree, she managed to stay upright and not vomit all over the place. Speaking of place, she gaze was drawn to the scenery around her. Everything had a strange light to it that made her already aching head pound. "Where the hell am I?"

"I think you know very well where you are, Acacia." One of his hands raised to point to the area behind her, and she followed his finger. Stretching on for miles as far as she could see, was the longest, most elaborate maze she had ever seen in her life. "That's right, precious."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"The same reason I bring anyone here, my dear." The Goblin King fixed her with his mismatched eyes, and understanding flooded through her.

"To run the labyrinth," she breathed.

"Very good. I must say, you catch on quicker than most."

Acacia swallowed past the lump in her throat, feeling like the air was being sucked from the area around her. "Why though? I didn't wish anyone away. There's no one waiting at the center for me to save."

"On the contrary, Acacia," the satin of his voice as he said her name was like honey. "You wished your own self away. It certainly was a surprise. I half expected you to wish away that lover of yours. Not that he was much of a lover, now was he, my dear? But, no, you called out and I have answered."

"You can't keep me here, Jareth."

He visibly shuddered when his name passed her lips. "Actually, I can." Producing a crystal from thin air, he swirled it around until it started to glow. Acacia's eyes followed the movement. Then, he threw it at her. The orb hit her in the chest and she was brought to her knees from excruciating pain that ripped through her body. Every muscle locked up, preventing her from even crying out. As suddenly as it came, the pain stopped, leaving her gasping face down in the dirt. "You have two options, Acacia. You can either run my labyrinth, and retrieve your soul from me at the center. _Or_...you can give in right now, and I will give it back to you. All you have to do is stay here. Forever."

"You sick motherfucker."

"Tut, tut, my dear. Such language."

"You can't do that!" She screamed at him, her face turning red as she tried to launch herself at him. But she couldn't move.

"And who is to say I can't?" Jareth smirked, juggling the now silvery-green orb over his fingers. "My, my, what a lovely soul you have."

"It's against the rules." Acacia growled.

The man's eyes turned to her once again, piercing. "There are no rules here, love."

"Yes, there are. I know all about fae magic and the power of the labyrinth. You can't just take a person unless someone has wished them away. Someone _else._ You also can't force someone to run for themselves. You have no power over me, _Goblin King_." The last words were spat out with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

One of his odd, fae-marked eyebrows rose, a grin slowly splitting his face in two. Acacia's face fell, and she started internally panicking when she realized she still couldn't move. "Well, well. Aren't we a smart one." He knelt down on one knee in front of her, chuckling at her increasing sense of urgency. "Unfortunately for you, your information is a little out of date. By about a century or so if I had my guess. You see, there are many things that I may not have been able to do a few hundred years ago that now...well, I am _much_ more powerful." Suddenly, his face turned dark, and his voice deepened into a much more threatening tone. "And by the by, you can only use that phrase when you've earned the right." Swirling to a stand, he pointed to a clock that was floating in mid-air. The clock hands read that it was three minutes past...thirteen o'clock? "Thirteen hours. That is all the time you have to solve my labyrinth. If you make it to my castle in the center past the goblin city, I will release you. If not, then you become my prisoner for the rest of eternity." As the last words past his lips, Jareth faded out, along with the clock. When he was gone, whatever spell he had cast on her let up and she was able to stand.

"Damn it!" She yelled into the void. "Motherfucker! Fuck you, Jareth! You can't keep me here!" The young woman staggered as bile assaulted her tongue. Bending over, Acacia heaved into the barren bush, one hand on the tree to keep her upright, and the other bundling her hair at the nape of her neck to keep it out of the mess. "Shit," a few retches and a shuddering dryheave later, she was able to wipe off her mouth and shiver in disgust. Her pack hit the ground and Acacia was rather grateful that the idiot hadn't thought to take it away. This was the bag she always kept around in case she had to get up and go and didn't have any time to pack her things. Reaching in, she easily found one of the water bottles she kept right on top of the other items. Her stomach churned a little when the water hit the empty pit, but luckily settled and didn't try to come back up. Equally, she was glad she had the foresight to add another knife, a set of clothes, and tennis shoes to the pile, as she was still wearing her pjs. It certainly wouldn't do to go traversing the labyrinth barefooted and in thin cloth that would probably rip at the slightest tug of a branch. So, she changed, not really bothered by the idea that Jareth could be watching her...or anyone else for that matter. She had long ago come to terms with changing around someone else. Once done, her pjs stowed away neatly, she slid her belt through the loops and added her knife to her hip where she could easily reach it.

"Alright. Asshole wants to play a game, then I'll play. But, he better be fucking ready for a royal ass kicking when I get there." Shouldering the bag and clipping the starp over her chest to keep it in place, she started down the hill to the outside wall. She knew that she would only find the door when she wasn't looking for it, so she elected to keep walking along the wall with her hand against it. The whole way, she went over all the things she knew about the labyrinth and it's not-so-benevolent king.

First off, nothing is ever as it seems. What looks like a dead end could turn into a door right to the castle the second you turn around. Second, most of the creatures are actually really nice and might help you find the way to get to the end. Third, if someone tells you not to go a certain way, you're on the right track, because the whole labyrinth is rigged to try to make you get lost and give up. And lastly, never _ever_ tell the king that the labyrinth was easy, because Jareth is an asshole and will purposely make it a zillion times harder, including sending a giant death machine to try to kill you.

Yeah, so she had already pissed him off by rejecting his advances, and that was probably a really stupid idea. Especially given that he now had her soul in a crystal. But, seriously, the guy needed a lesson in what was and wasn't ok when trying to woo a lady. For example, stealing her soul (or sibling) and making her go through a fucking maze to get it back. Oh fucking well, too late now. Besides, how was she supposed to know that any and all references to the labyrinth and fairies were a hundred years too late. There was a lot of compelling stuff that seemed to be really recent. The freaking movie they did was only set 30 years in the past. Of course, she had to hand it to David Bowie, he had been blessed to look like a fae. There was also a person Acacia had found online in a chatroom for that sort of thing. The two had talked for weeks, swapping lore, when this person had told her a story about her brother being stolen away. Turned out there were lots of those same kinds of tales. Stories about older or younger siblings, and sometimes even friends, being wished away and then taken. Some of them had ended up in the nut house because they were so adamant about the reality of it that they had been deemed insane. Others kept quiet about it, only speaking to people online because they were less judgemental and often believed as well.

Lost in thought, Acacia hadn't been paying attention to where she was going until her foot collided with something laying in her path. The impact jarred her leg as she fell forward against the sand.

"OW! Watch it!"

"Fuck! Sorry," she groaned, pulling her feet off the person and rolling over. "Are you ok?"

"No, I'm _not_! I am the exact opposite of ok." Acacia stared at the new creature she had just tripped over. "Why don't you all just look where you're going when you come a'tramping along here?"

"Um, sorry. I just didn't see you." The person in front of her stood only about three feet tall, with a large head and hands that seemed too big for it's body, and a very wrinkly face that ended in a ridiculously long nose. "I'm Acacia."

"Hoggle." He said shortly.

"Right. Well, _Hoggle,_ I'm very sorry to have run over you and interrupting your fairy extermination. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to keep on not seeing the door until my fingers hit it." With that she turned sharply on her heel and touched the wall again. "I need to get in." It was more to herself than to the dwarf behind her.

"Well, you're never gonna find it like that."

"Really? And why not?"

"Because," he toddled up next to her, then pointed around to where she had just come from. "It's right there."

"Of course it is," came the sigh. "Wonderful that we've already got the old 'turn around to face the way you just came' gag. Thank you very much, Your _Majesty_."

"Who are you talking to? Are you crazy or something?"

"No, but I might be if your fucking king doesn't stop being a dick." Acacia shook her head as she pushed open the large doors with a grunt. "Anyway, nice meeting you, Hoggle, but I've got to get going."

She took a moment to look down the left and right direction, the only halls to go through. "Well, which one ya gonna pick? Left or right?"

"Which way would you go, Hoggle?"

The dwarf chortled. "I wouldn't go either way. Whatever it is you're going after, you'd better just give up and go home. You ain't never gonna see the kid again." With that, he started going back out the doors.

"I can't. It's not a child that Jareth took from me. It was my soul." The words made him stop and slowly turn back to look at her. "Exactly. It doesn't matter if I give up. I'd get stuck here either way, and I can't stay here. I'm getting that crystal back, and nothing you do, no matter what the Goblin King orders you to do, I won't fall for it. Besides, I'd rather thought that Sarah had changed you for the better." Hoggle started at the sound of his old friend's name. "Apparently, you're still a coward. Goodbye." Without even giving him a chance to say anything, she swung the door shut. After thinking for a moment, Acacia dug a quarter out of her pocket and flipped it. "Heads go left, tails go right." She muttered as it flew. It dropped back into her palm and she quickly flipped it onto the back of her other hand. _Heads_. "Left it is."

)0(

 _ **A/N: It started out slow, but then I put the burn to this chapter and finally cranked it out. Other chappies up on multiple stories soon, folks.**_

 _ **Hit that little button and leave a review. Thanks.**_

 _ **AcaciaDawn105**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three~ The Words of a Worm**_

 _Jareth_

"Why doesn't she just give up already?" The Goblin King vented as he paced his throne room, scattering goblins with every step. In front of him floated the green orb that held the woman's soul, and also his front row seat to watch her every move. "It would be so much easier for her if she did. Really, is my offer so bad? Is the thought of having a king at your beck and call _so_ repulsive?" His wild eyes turned to the monsters that littered the room. When none of them answered him, he struck his riding crop against the stone wall, startling the goblins into action.

"Of course not!"

"Why would it be repulsive?"

"She doesn't know what she's missing."

"She'd be so lucky to haves Your Majesty."

Jareth rolled his eyes at their poor attempts to stroke his ego. "Oh, shut up." Turning to the window, he stared hard to the edge of the maze, where Acacia was still running. She had been going down that same path for over an hour. Surely she would get tired soon. Why did she fight him so? Every so often, he would hear her cursing him from way out there. It wasn't like Sarah, who swore constantly that 'it wasn't fair', as if there were such a thing. No, it was more like she knew what to expect, and wasn't really all that surprised, yet she was still irritated that she was there in the first place. Currently, she was wondering aloud as to why he thought it was a good idea to take someone's soul, and how the 'fuck' he'd gotten powerful enough to do so.

"Dear, sweet girl. If only you could see." He muttered sadly to himself.

)0(

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Acacia coughed, sending a puff of dust and glitter into the air. She had been running down the same lane for at least an hour. At the last moment, she had thought she could see a turn up ahead and had sped up to get there. Unfortunately, she had not been paying attention to her feet, and ended up tripping over a root of some downed tree that lay in the path. She had caught most of her weight on her hands instead of her face, but it still hurt like a bitch.

"Ahem, 'ello." Came a soft voice from beside her head. Looking to the right from the ground, she saw a small blue worm with a tiny scarf wrapped around his neck...area, sitting on one of the stones that jutted from the wall.

"Hi," she said, a bit unsure.

"That looked a right nasty fall there, luv." He remarked as she pushed herself up, wincing when she tried to get dirt out of the new cuts on her palms.

"Yeah, it was. Damn it." Acacia sat back against the opposite wall from the worm, trying to look back and forth to figure out which way she should go next. "I don't suppose you know the way through this maze, do you, Mr. Worm?"

"Me? Naw, luv. I'm just a worm. Why don't you come inside and let the Missus take a look at them cuts."

"Thank you, sir. I would love to, but I really need to get going. I'm just trying to find a turn that goes further into the labyrinth. Besides, I think I'm a bit big to fit in your home."

"Ah, true enough, dearie. Well, if you like, there's an opening right there." He waved his fluffy little blue head towards the wall segment beside him. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the seemingly solid wall.

"Nothing is as it seems," she whispered to herself, and tossed a stone at the wall, only to watch it go right through the area that she was seeing and hit another wall behind it.

"Yeah, that's right. You sure you won't let me wife take a look at you? Maybe have a cuppa?"

Acacia smiled down at him. "That's very kind of you. Are you sure she wouldn't mind?"

"Naw, not a' all! You just wait right there, and I'll go and fetch 'er." Mr. Worm inched his way into the opening, which she assumed was supposed to be the door to his home. Acacia sat back and checked her bag for some band-aids. She found them, and some antibiotic ointment. She had just laid them out when the worm came back out, this time with another one, this one wearing a bonnet.

"Well, 'ello there, dearie. Heard you had quite the nasty fall." Said Mrs. Worm, toting a tiny teacup and saucer on her back, offering it to her.

"I did." Acacia showed them her hands, which had yet to stop oozing blood, then gently took the teacup from her. "Thank you. You're the first kind creatures I've come across yet."

"Oh, s'no trouble, luv. Now, you let me see them 'ands of yours." Once her hands were close enough, Mrs. Worm climbed onto her finger and started examining the wounds. Clicking her tongue, she muttered, "Poor thing. Should heal up right quick, once we get them cleaned out a bit." With that, she motioned her head at her husband, who inched onto her other hand. Together, they began picking little bits of dirt and rock from the cuts, their bodies pushing the rest of the filth from her skin. When they were done, they wiggled off and let her bandage them. "There you are, dear. Should be all better now."

"It does feel better. Thank you." Quickly tipping her teacup back, she emptied the droplet of it's contents and handed the cup back, "And thank you very much for the tea. I have to be going now, but I hope you have a lovely day."

"Oh, well ain't you sweet, luv." Gushed the wife. "Oooh, Martin, I don't suppose you could help her any, could you?"

"Wot you on about, woman?" Mr. Worm cocked his head at her.

"Oh, you know! Help her get to the center!"

"I don't know the way. All I know is that the right way is always the wrong way."

"I can work with that!" Acacia put her face closer to them. "Could you tell me which way I _shouldn't_ be going?"

"Oh, that's easy, luv. Don't go that way." He tipped his head towards his right (her left). "Never go _that_ way."

"Thank you, so much. You're very kind. Goodbye." Pushing herself up, Acacia started towards the left turn. In this place, everything was designed to take her the longest way possible. The shortcuts and right ways were the ways she wasn't supposed to go, because it would lead her to the castle faster. _Never go the way you_ should _go._ "I'm coming for you, Jareth."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four~ Dark**_

The air seemed to become closer in the stone maze. It was hot, humid, and Acacia couldn't help up tie her hair up in a bun on the top of her head. Even after shedding her top shirt, leaving her in only a green tank top, she was still sweating up a storm. How could it be so damn hot in the Underground? Looking up to the sky, she silently cursed the eternally cloudy red color. Her hair was starting to soak through, leaving her feeling all at once burning up and like she just took a dip. Her water bottle was almost empty, and she knew she would need to find more soon, lest she end up getting sick from dehydration in this wretched heat.

"Seriously, how does he stand this with his freaking poofy hair, and those freaking layers and layers of clothes. Fuck him." She said to herself as she entered into what seemed to be a courtyard.

"I wouldn't have thought you an exhibisionist, my dear. But, I am more than happy to accept your request." Acacia spun around to find the King in question leaning against a pillar.

"Go suck an egg, Goblin King." Without giving him a chance to say anything else, she continued across the courtyard. There was a hall right in front of her. She figured that if she didn't give him a chance to catch up with her, he'd leave her alone to continue her quest. Unfortuantely, the corridore ended quite abruptly. _Damn dead ends_. Acacia's lips scrunched up in a scowl as she stared at the wall.

"My, my. Another dead end. Must be so frustrating, love. Wouldn't it be so much easier for you if you just gave up?"

"It would, but then I'd be stuck with you for the rest of eternity. I'm not too keen to be stuck down here for any longer than I have to be." She moved around him to go back to the courtyard. Once there, she stopped. The whole thing had changed.

"Would it _really_ be so bad?" The sound of his voice in her ear made Acacia jump. "Honestly, precious, would it? You'd have a _king_ giving everything you've ever wanted. And you know me and my kind. I could do it. All you have to do-"

"Is let you rule me?" The woman swept a few soaked black hairs off her forehead and turned to look him in the eye. "I appreciate the false sentiment, but I know that you're only doing this to distract me from solving the Labyrinth."

"Am I? Are you so certain, my dear?" The witty retort she had readied died in her throat when he moved towards her. Nearly tripping over her own feet, she backed up until she was against a decorative urn in the middle of the space. The Goblin King hesitated for a moment at the sight of her retreat, before a smile broke over his face and he continued his advance. "And what if my offer is completely genuine? Would that sway you?"

"Not a bit," she croaked, her throat very dry. Suddenly, all the bravado she had thrown in his face seemed to evaporate as he placed a hand against the urn beside her...effectively trapping her. Acacia could have sworn he could hear the way her heart beat wildly, even more so when his smile widened into a grin.

"Are you sure? It seems to me that your voice betrays your words." He raised his other gloved hand to run the backs of his fingers over her cheek. A shudder ripped through the young woman, who valiantly tried to hide it. Taking a deep breath, she met his mismatched eyes. Deep in her belly, she could feel that inexplicable knot. The one that told her not to trust him. The power radiating off of the Goblin King was palpable, almost as much as the warmth coming off his skin. Despite the sweet look on his face, the way she could feel him weaving his net around her, there was no hiding the way his eyes screamed at her. Deeper and deeper, for a moment everything swirled as she physically felt him moving closer, but only saw the pits of color.

Swiftly ducking under his arm, Acacia took a few breaths facing away from him. "I'm going to leave now. Do yourself a favor, and don't follow me this time." And back into the stone maze she went.

Away from her gaze, Jareth watched sadly as she walked away from him, back into the Labyrinth. "Please," he whispered to the air, "Don't do this." But, she was already too far away to hear him. A quick swirl of glitter, and he was gone. Once back in his throne room, he conjured up the green crystal that held the woman's soul, examining her through it, and watching as the Labyrinth changed around her, as it would always do in an effort to keep her away from him.

)0(

Acacia kept on towards what she perceived as the right direction towards the castle. All the turning was starting to give her a headache, but at least the heat had abated some so she was able to breathe a little easier. Going on and on, the black-haired woman had not run into a trap or dead end. At some point, she had also started picking up little stones and leaving them on the walls so she could track where she was going. If she ever did have to turn back, she could know where she'd already been and go a different way. Yet another twist, another turn, another stone, and suddenly she was faced with a dead end.

She sighed, "So much for that. And I was doing so well." Taking a moment to breathe, Acacia turned herself around to reposition her rock, which she had left on the wall right next to her. Only to find it wasn't there. Her brows scrunched in confusion. A quick search of the area revealed that it had been moved ten feet away to another path. "Seriously?!"

She let out a frustrated growl, picking up the rock and hurling it at another wall. It shattered on impact, and Acacia gasped as she went reeling. Her senses were suddenly assaulted. The area darkened, pieces of rock floating all around her in the form of partial staircases and columns. But, her vision flickered, as if someone was turning a light on and off. The scent of stale air and decay reached her nose. Beside her a clocked ticked away the minutes, the face showing that her time was almost up, the hands were only a few moments from both landing on 13. "No! No, I have time! I've only been here a few hours!" Trying to look around was dizzying, with the rapid flickering. To her left, movement fluttered, drawing her attention. Acacia's jaw dropped and her vision evened out, focused on the sight before her. There stood the Goblin King, dressed all in white, his skin washed out, making him look so tired and sick that she almost told him to go to bed.

 _"Give me the child_. _"_ She said, but it wasn't her voice, nor were they her words.

Another flicker, and he was right in front of her, " _Sarah,"_ Holy shit... _"Beware. I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel."_

 _"Generous?"_ God, that voice was so condescending. Was this really the girl she had idolized as a child? _"What have you done that's generous?"_

 _"EVERYTHING!"_ He barked. As he spoke, Jareth began circling her. " _Everything that you wanted, I have done. You_ asked _that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, and I was frightening. I have reordered time."_ One airy-clothed arm raised to point at the clock that was now spinning out of control. " _I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for_ you! _"_ He went around one more time before coming to stand still. " _I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me."_ His mismatched eyes bored into her, begging her with such sincerity that she felt like she needed to look away, lest she be swept away by them.

Acacia's vision darkened, whatever she felt like she was supposed to say next died on her tongue. When she managed to open her eyes again, she was staring at a wall, shivering despite the warmth of the day. Her skin was drenched in icy sweat, like she'd just woken up from a nightmare. A shuddering gasp made it's way through her lips, her lungs burned like she hadn't been breathing the whole time. The stones bruised and burnt on her knees and hands as the woman fell down trying to catch her breath. "This place is awful!" She yelled once she could.

"Of course it is," came a voice from behind her. Acacia did a fast 180 to see who was speaking, and was faced with two doors, guarded by two playing card looking...things.

"It's the Labyrinth!" A second voice added, more erupting into laughter.

"Holy crap." Acacia managed to stumble to her feet, having to use the wall to steady herself. Confused, she turned around again. That wall hadn't been there when she threw the rock...she was stuck in an area where she couldn't get out. Unless...

"What's the matter, lassie?" The first voice asked.

"Ye stuck?" The other asked. They all started laughing again.

"Of course I'm stuck, but...you didn't see that?" She asked them.

"See what?" The bottom red face asked.

"That whole thing that _just_ happened right...you know what, nevermind. So, let me guess...I have to go through one of you to get out of here?"

"That's right!" Said the blue head. "You have to choose one of these doors."

"So, which one is the safest?" She crossed her arms, already knowing what was happening.

"We can't tell you. You can only ask one of us. And remember-" The red one said.

"One of us always tells the truth, and the other always lies." Finished the blue.

"He always lies."

"I do NOT! You're the liar, you bloody liar."

Not in the mood to listen to them banter, Acacia shushed them both. "Alright. This is easy. I know how to get through here." Steeling herself, she went to the blue card. "Would red guy over there tell me that your door leads to the center of the Labyrinth?"

The blue heads both looked at her like _she'd_ grown a second head, but began whispering between themselves anyway. When the top head was done, he popped back up and, with an unsure tone, said, "No?"

"Good." Without waiting for him to move, she went to the red one and pushed him aside.

"Wait a minute! How do you know that this is the door?!"

"Because, he said it was."

"No, I did not!"

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "He told me that you would say that his door didn't lead to the castle. If you were lying then that meant that it did. Same if he had been lying. But," she held up a finger, "I know how Jareth works. You're supposed to tell me the opposite of what is true, whether or not it actually is. So, therefore, your door leads to the center, his will put me in a deep dark hole to waste away until it's too late for me to save my soul. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the castle so I can win my soul back." Pushing open the door, she stopped to examine the passageway. There were no holes for her to fall into, but that didn't mean that there weren't any traps. There weren't anymore rocks in the general vicinity, so she pulled her bag off and lowered it to the ground so she could rifle through it.

"What in the world are you doing?" Asked the red guard.

"Checking." Was all she said before she managed to find what she was looking for. The little rubber ball she threw bounced against the floor tile just in front of her, and she caught it. It didn't take more than a second when a trapdoor opened up right where the ball had just hit. "That's what I thought." It wasn't a very large, so she was able to easily step over it. It continued this way through the tunnel. She would bounce the ball to check it the next tile was safe. Sometimes a hole would open, sometimes it wouldn't. Either way, she was safe.

)0(

"What the hell is she doing?!" Jareth hollared, scaring the goblins into silence. If her soul hadn't been in the little green orb he held, he would have hurled it against a wall. Within it, he watched as the girl continued to bounce a little ball of some sort on the ground. Every so often, another pit would open up, and would have sent her directly into an oubliette, if she had actually been standing on the tile instead of right behind it. Then there was the way she had frozen up right before the cards had gotten her attention.

The goblins couldn't understand why their king was suddenly so mad, but it wasn't really all that unusual for him to randomly fly into a rage. By now they were so used to it that those of them who had been there for more than a few years just moved to the edges of the room so they didn't get kicked or thrown out a window. What they did know, is that this girl seemed to be even more infuriating to him than the last girl he watched to closely. They watched as their king stood up from his throne and started pacing around the room. Most of them didn't quite understand what he was ranting about, except for a few of them who had been there for who knows how many centuries by now.

"She saw something. She _had_ to have seen something! But, what was it?!" He yelled, kicking one of the smaller goblins. "She didn't even notice when the wall moved." At that revelation, Jareth plopped back down in his seat, throwing one leg over the arm of it and leaning back. With one finger to his chin, he mused, "What did she see?" The crystal floated in front of him, close enough that he could see, but where none of the goblins could hope to watch this mysterious woman that aggravated him so. At the moment when she had frozen up after throwing that stone, Jareth could feel the pull of magic from the Labyrinth. Sure, there was always the feeling of magic constantly buzzing, or when it changed, but this was different. Something that he had never felt in his many, _many_ years as the Goblin King. So, what had this simple girl from the Aboveground done to warrant a surge that held her in place. "What are you?" She continued walking, not hearing him as he spoke to her form the comfort of his throne. Jareth's lips turned up in a smirk as she broke from the tunnel. "Bring me the dwarf!"

)0(

The ball bounced one final time, and Acacia emerged into the light. Here, the air was sweet, and heavy with humid heat within the closeness of thick trees. Not knowing what things could be hiding in the brush, Acacia popped the button that kept her knife in place within it's sheath. Assured that she could easily pull it out, she proceeded into the forest with one hand on her knife. For the most part, it was very flat land, only occasionally having to step over an exposed tree root.

Now that her mind was less occupied with staying alive, it drifted back to the vision. As a little girl, she had thought that Sarah was the heroine of the story, triumphing over the wicked Goblin King with her logic and smarts. Of course, every other girl thought much the same. It had been years before she watched the movie again, or read the book, having become so caught up in...well, growing up. Many years later, at the ripe age of twenty-one, she had finally found it again and watched it more closely. Upon doing so, she noticed so much more than just and evil fairy king and a brave girl who fought valiantly to win her brother back.

No, she had also noticed the sad little man that was so lonely and trying so hard to win the heart of a girl who saw only a monster. But...that was just the movie, right? Surely this crazy fae who had stolen her soul wasn't the same as the one she had seen. Even if he was...he must be so sore from the rejection. From what she knew of mythology, fae tended to think of humans as beneath them. So, when they did find one that they found attractive, they became a little obsessive. When those humans didn't return their affections, there could be horrible consequences. But, then again, fae were also fickle creatures, and most humans back in the day knew that, which was one reason not to get mixed up with them; never mind the fact that they could trap you to them forever if you weren't careful. So, if Jareth the Goblin King really had been in love with this girl, and been rejected by her, then he must have been so torn up about it. The thought almost made her stop...almost.

If she had, then she might have noticed the creature sneaking up on her from the tree.

But she didn't...

)0(

 _ **A/N: Holy freaking mother of god! I finally got a new chapter out. And just in time for Halloween. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you here, but it is 12:15 am for me and I still have another chapter to finish on another story. Enjoy, my lovelies. Read and Review.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five~ Holy Smokes, Batman**_

Acacia groaned. This getting knocked out and waking up in random places with her backpack on was getting _really_ old. It took her a while before she felt able enough to sit up, but once she did, she felt the pounding rush to the spot on the back of her skull.

"Sssshit!" She hissed to herself, grasping at her head and was slightly horrified to find that it was wet and sticky with dark blood. "What the hell?" Looking around her, Acacia realized she was no longer in the forest where she had last been walking. The area around her was much thicker and darker, and permeated with a dank stench of rotting vegetation and decay. The smell made her cough and cover her face with the back of her hand. Managing to push herself off the ground, Acacia was relieved to find that her knife was still in it's sheath on her hip, so she released it and held it at the ready. It was so dark.

With her free hand, the black haired woman reached back and felt for the road flares that she kept in the pocket on the side. There were four of them, approximately an hour of light all together, baring that nothing happened to snuff them out before their individual 15 minutes were up. Pulling out the first one she could wrap her hand around, Acacia kept her eyes peeled on the area around her as she removed the top and used the sandpaper to scrape and light the flare. Immediately, the area was lit up with the faint red light, just enough for her to see clearly out about a dozen yards. There was nothing in the clearing with her, not even a shrub. Acacia took a step forward, but stopped when her foot crunched against something. Her gaze fell to the ground and she let out a yelp as she tripped backwards and the flare fell from her hand. She had stepped on what looked like a human skull. All around her, bones were scattered throughout the rotting leaves, all different sizes and shapes that definitely didn't belong to just humans. She shuffled backwards on her butt to find some leverage, but her hand landed in something squishy. The feel itself made her gag, along with the smell that wafted up from it, and she didn't want to look. Turning her head ever so slightly, Acacia came face to face with the freshly mangled corpse of some poor creature.

A scream ripped itself from her throat and she threw herself away from the gorey mess. Bile rose in her throat, and she barely had enough time to turn around and heave what little was still in her stomach onto the forest floor.

Then, the noise started. Well, not really. If she had to be honest, Acacia had heard the low thrum all around the clearing, but had thought it to be a natural sound in the Labyrinth. But, now...now it was growing louder. It sounded like growling, but it was all around her, and it couldn't possibly be coming from any one thing. _Shit, shit, shit._ She through to herself as she scrambled to her feet, holding her knife out in front of her like a sword. There was no way she could fight off more than a few monsters. And it sounded like a lot more than a few. Luckily, the flare was right next to her feet and she scooped it up as quickly as possible. Then the noise stopped. Knowing that nothing was what it seemed in this place, she didn't for a second believe that whatever had been surrounding her was gone.

All at once, a howl started, first one voice, then others joined in. It echoed off the trees and reverberated inside her skull. Acacia grasped at her head, trying to drown out the sound, but to no avail. It felt like hammers were smashing her brain to bits, forcing her to her knees. A thump to her left made her start. The sight that met her eyes made her gasp in fear.

The reptilian face lowered from it's position of howling, quieting to an incessant growl. The other voices followed suit. Except...there were no other voices. As the creature turned, she was horrified to see the leopard body, complete with long legs ending in hooves. A growl sounded, too loud to be made by one creature, the luminescent eyes fixed on her.

The Questing Beast.

Acacia only hesitated for a second before turning on her heel and booking it out of the clearing. Behind her, she could hear the barking of what seemed to be a team of hunting dogs, and the thumping of the Beast's feet. _Shit, shit! Fuck. I can't outrun this thing!_ She thought to herself. As branches and vines ripped at her clothes, cutting deep scratches in her skin, the frightened woman tried to remember what little lore she knew about the Questing Beast.

)0(

"How the _hell_ did a Questing Beast manage to sneak it's way into _my_ kingdom?!" Jareth shouted, picking up and throwing a goblin against a wall as he did. "Do you worthless imbeciles have _any_ idea what this could mean?! Call out the guard, I want everyone hunting this monster down and getting rid of it before that girl either dies or leads it to the castle." When none of them moved, he conjured up a crystal and chucked it at a wall. "NOW!"

)0(

Acacia had managed to lose the Beast in some thick foliage, but it wouldn't hold it off for long. Finding her way into a series of caves, one that would be too small for the Beast to follow her into, she knew hiding would be in vain if she didn't managed to kill it. Questing Beasts were known for their tenaciousness when it came to hunting prey, and it would never stop hunting her until one of them was dead. After crawling through the fine grey sand for nearly ten minutes, it finally opened up into a bigger cavern that she could stand up in but still had to stoop. So, picking her way carefully through the dark damp tunnels, she held the flare aloft to give her more light.

"Ok, Palamedes, Percival, and Galahad wounded it with a lance, then chased into a lake...Well, that would be great if I actually had a lance. Or a lake. Can't even get near the thing without worrying about those big ass claws," she murmured to herself.

"Well, well, what a pickle you've found yourself in." Jareth's voice made her jump, hitting her head on the low ceiling.

"Dammit! What the hell?" She spun around, rubbing the new knot on her head. "Can't you ever just appear in front of me for a change? This whole spinning around in circles is making me dizzy."

"My apologies, dearest. As I was saying-"

"I don't have time for this. I've got a thing on my tail and I need to find a long stick." With that, she continued down the path, looking for any sign of light.

"I'm well aware of your current situation, precious. I've come to offer my help."

His words made her stop. Acacia turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Why would you help me?"

"Maybe I've grown attached," he smirked. Before she could respond, he held up a gloved hand, conjuring the green crystal that held her soul, letting it dance over his fingers.

"Are you gonna give it back? Because if so, that would certainly help a lot."

Jareth started laughing at her statement. "Of course I'm not, precious. I am, however, going to offer you a bit of a... lifeline, if you will." The orb passed one more time around his hand, and it began to shine, before the shaped transformed in front of her eyes. Once the glow had faded, leaving her blinking in the dim light, she blanched.

"Really?! A fucking bow and arrows? You absolute useless fucking dick. I thought you were helping me. I don't know how to use that!"

"Well, then I suggest you learn quickly." The Goblin King moved towards her, and he shoved the quiver into her chest as he passed her. "You'll want to be on the move. The Beast isn't far behind you. In fact, if I'm not mistaken..." On cue, the walls around them began shaking and dust falling into Acacia's eyes. "Yes, as I thought. He's right above you. Digging through the rock."

Her face morphed into a mask of fear and anger. "How is that even possible?! I thought you were the most powerful being in this godforsaken place! Why can't you just magick it away if you're so fucking attached to me?!"

Quicker than she could see, he was in her face, one hand around her throat forcing her back against the quivering cave wall. "Do not _dare_ question me. Remember that you are only alive because you are _mildly_ amusing to me. If I was so inclined, I could kill you without even blinking." The hardness of his face would have frightened her if it weren't for what she saw in his eyes.

"But you won't," came her soft reply. The grip around her neck loosened.

Jareth blinked. "What?"

"You won't kill me. Even if you could, you wouldn't. I don't know if it's something to do with the fact that I'm a runner, and you wouldn't want to ruin your...semi-perfect reputation, or something else. But, I can see it. Something is stopping you from just killing me here and now. It would be so much easier for you. Then you wouldn't have the Questing Beast ripping up your Labyrinth."

She watched the way his thin chest rose and fell with the harsh breaths he was taking, felt the ever-so-faint shaking of his fingers under the material of his gloves. His jaw hardened and his eyes darkened as he leaned forward. "You know nothing." With a rough shove, Jareth moved away and conjured a crystal. His usual broad movements were gone as he threw it at the opposite wall. From nowhere, an opening appeared. "Take this, it will take you no farther, and no closer to the castle, but you will be away from the Beast. Far enough for you to continue the Labyrinth while my soldiers hunt it down. You will be safe enough to-"

"No." She stated.

The king spun on his heel. _"Excuse me?!"_

"I said no. I'm not supposed to have any help. It's against the rules for you to do this. What do you care anyway? If I die, you get to keep my soul. If I take that portal, or whatever it is, I don't know where you're actually sending me. It could lead straight to an oubliette for all I know, or the Bog of Eternal Stench. So, no. I'm not going to go through it. I'll take my chances with the Beast. At least with it, I know what it actually wants."

The air around Jareth seemed to begin vibrating. Of course, Acacia knew that refusing anything he tried to give her would just make him mad, but this was different. His very stance changed. Every time she had ever seen him, the Goblin King had worn a sort of elegance. Shoulders back, head tilted, smarmy fucking smirk on his face. Now, his head was down, shoulders rounded, fists clenched at his sides and nostrils flared. The aura coming off him was oppressive, causing her to press herself into the rock behind her. It had been somewhat cool in the caves, as there was no light there, but right at that moment, it was as if she had stepped right into a sauna. It was nearly suffocating.

"I am a fae king. I am bound by my word. If I say it will take you to safety, then it will." Gravel had entered his voice, the rough sound making her shiver.

"But safe for who? You could perceive me being safe as me being locked away somewhere that the Beast can't get to me. It doesn't matter what you promise, Jareth. Your kind are experts at twisting words. I know that."

"For goodness sake, woman!" In a flash, he was in front of her again, hands on her shoulders. "Will you _please_ just do as I say and get out of here before the Beast brings down the cave?!"

"I said no!" Acacia tried to shove him away from her, but it was a futile attempt, as he was a centuries old faerie and she was nothing but a puny human. His grip was like iron on her skin.

"I will not let you be killed by this thing." He hissed, then promptly twisting and throwing, literally throwing her through the doorway.

A cry left her throat as she hit the ground. "Ow, fuck! Jareth!" With a huff, she pushed herself up and ran back towards the opening, only to catch a glimpse of him scowling at her before she slammed against a wall. "What the everloving _fuck!"_

)0(

 _ **A/N: Here you go guys, I'm sorry I've been kinda MIA for so long. I am currently going through some serious shit. So, here is a quick little short chapter for you, I will catch up when I'm not feeling quite so much like crap.**_


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